Positive action clamp



C. E. KING POSITIVE ACTION CLAMP Filed May 20, 19g

& EK w m A 0 m 6 I. s My m f United States Patent 3,521,917 POSITIVE ACTION CLAMP Charles E. King, 104 N. Genesee St., Blue Rapids, Kans. 66411 Filed May 20, 1968, Ser. No. 730,543 Int. Cl. F16b 7/04 US. Cl. 287-111 9 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A breakaway signpost has an upright post which includes a lowermost I anchor section and an uppermost breakaway section separate from and resting on the upper end of the anchor section. The butt joint between the sections is overlapped by opposed plates held against the post by two spring-loaded bolts, by a top rigid bolt, by ball and socket interlocks with the anchor section, and by an optional shear pin. Impact with the post causes its upper section to completely separate from its lower section.

An important object of my present invention is to provide a breakaway signpost that has a positive action clamp which will readily release and permit the post sections to come apart when hit from any angle by a vehicle.

Another important object of the instant invention is the provision of a signpost that is provided with springs which will yield sufficiently on impact to allow sockets to slip off corresponding balls, freeing the top post section from the bottom section, and leaving the latter in the ground with the clamp still attached to the top section.

Still another important object of this invention is to provide an assembly that is simple for workmen to repair and reinstall, with but a few tools or equipment and without expenditure of a great amount of time.

Another important object of my instant invention is the provision of a signpost having a built-in safety factor designed to avoid many serious accidents and save many lives.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a breakaway signpost having a positive action clamp made pursuant to my present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, fragmentary elevational view thereof;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary elevational view taken at right angles to FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, parts being broken away for clearness; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to FIG. 3 illustrating the action on impact.

Breakaway signpost has a lowermost anchor section 12, adapted to be inserted in the ground or in concrete as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, together with an uppermost breakaway section 14 which is separate from the section 12 but which has its lowermost end resting directly upon the upper end of the anchor section 12 in abutting relationship thereto, presenting butt joint 16. Section 14 is adapted to support any desired sign 1-8 as illustrated in FIG. 1.

A pair of elongated plates 20 and 22 on opposite sides of the post 10 in engagement therewith extend across the joint 16 and are held in place by a fastener 24, a pair of cross members 26 and 28, a pair of ball and socket interlocks 30 and 32, and optionally, by a shear pin 34.

The fastener 24, the members 26 and 28 and the shear pin 34 all pass through the post 10 in substantial parallelism. The fastener bolt 24 through the section 14 clamps the upper ends of the plates 20 and 22 firmly to the section 14. The upper ends of the plates 20 and 22 have upwardly facing semicircular notches which receive the bolt 24.

The bolt member 26 traverses section 14 and passes 3,521,917 Patented July 28, 1970 through both plates 20 and 22. It may be in the nature of a bolt having a head 36 and a nut 38. A spring 40 is coiled about the member 26 between head 36 and plate 22, and a similar spring 42, coiled about the member 26, is compressed between the nut 38 and the plate 20, it being understood that member 26 may be freely shiftable longitudinally thereof with respect to plates 20 and 22 and post section 14.

An identical arrangement is provided for the member 28 wherein a spring 44 is compressed between head 46 and plate 22, and a coil spring 48 is interposed between nut 50 and plate 20. However, member 28 is interposed between the sections 12 and 14 at the joint 16, the opening 52 (FIG. 4) for member 28 being partially in section 12 and partially in section 14.

The positive action of the above-described clamp between sections 12 and 14 is illustrated in FIG. 5 of the drawing showing how, upon impact, as for example in the direction of arrow 54, the plates 20 and 22 are caused to open up against the action of springs '40, 42, 44 and 48. This results in a complete separation of the section 14 from the section 12, carrying the entire clamp therewith. If the shear pin 34 is used, the plates 20 and 22 readily separate from pin 34 or, if the impact is in some other direction, such as at right angles to arrow 54, then, if need be in order to result in complete separation, pin 34 will shear as plates 20 and 22 are displaced from the anchor section 12. It can be seen that in many instances little or no damage will result but if parts of the clamp or of the post 10 are damaged, they can be repaired or replaced quickly and at little cost.

More important, however, is the fact that such complete breakaway of the section 14 and of the clamp from the anchor section 12 will, for the most part, prevent substantial damage to the vehicle and result in less likelihood of injury to occupants of the vehicle than is currently the case with permanently, solid and rigidly anchored signposts in universal use.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A breakaway signpost comprising:

an upright post having a lowermost anchor section and an uppermost breakaway section separate from and resting on the anchor section in abutting relation ship thereto, presenting a joint;

a pair of plates engaging the post on opposite sides thereof across said joint;

a cross member passing through the plates and through the post transversely of the latter; and

resilient means carried by said member and yiedably holding the plates clamped to the post,

said post having a member-receiving opening at said joint partially in the anchor section and partially in the breakaway section.

2. The invention of claim 1; and a ball and socket interlock between each plate respectively and one of said sections at one end of the plates.

3. The invention of claim 1; and a shear pin passing through the plates and through one of said sections transversely thereof.

4. The invention of claim 1; and a fastener at one end of the plates passing through one of said sections transversely of the latter for clamping said one end of the plates to said one section.

5. The invention of claim 4, said plates having fastenerreceiving notches in said one end thereof.

6. The invention of claim 1;

a second cross member passing through the plates and through one of said sections transversely of the latter; and

resilient means carried by said second member and yieldably holding the plates clamped to the post,

augmenting the holding action of the first mentioned resilient means.

7. The invention of claim 6; and

a fastener at the upper end of the plates passing through the breakaway section transversely of the latter for clamping said upper ends of the plates to the breakaway section,

said plates having upwardly-facing, fastener-receiving notches in said upper ends thereof.

8. A breakaway signmost comprising:

an upright post having a lowermost anchor section and an uppermost breakaway section separate from and resting on the anchor section in abutting relationship thereto, presenting a joint;

a pair of plates engaging the post on opposite sides thereof across said joint;

a cross member passing through the plates and through the post transversely of the latter;

resilient means carried by said member and yieldably holding the plates clamped to the post,

said post having a member-receiving opening at said joint partially in the anchor section and partially in the breakaway section;

a second cross member passing through the plates and through one of said sections transversely of the latter;

resilient means carried by said second member and yieldably holding the plates clamped to the post, augmenting the holding action of the first mentioned resilient means;

a fastener at the upper end of the plates passing through the breakaway section transversely of the latter for clamping said upper ends of the plates to the breakaway section,

said plates having upwardly-facing fastener-receiving notches in said upper ends thereof;

a ball and socket interlock between each plate respectively and the anchor section at the lower ends of the plates; and

a shear pin passing through the plates and through the anchor section between said joint and said interlocks,

said second cross member traversing the breakaway section between the fastener and the joint,

the cross members being parallel with the fastener and with the shear pin.

9. The invention of claim 8,

each member having a head on each end respectively thereof,

each resilient means comprising a spring coiled about the members between each head respectively and the proximal plate.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,852 2/ 1891 Davis 52-98 684,096 1*0/1901 Price 52-116 1,729,609 10/1929 Clilford 248- EDWARD C. ALLEN, Primary Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 

